Crawling tube for small mammals

ABSTRACT

A crawling tube for small mammals comprising a plurality of circumferential slotted holes which are arranged side by side on at least one row along a longitudinal extension of the tube so as to provide ventilation grilles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a crawling tube for smallmammals.

[0002] Straight or curved crawling tubes for small mammals are alreadycurrently commercially available.

[0003] These tubes are used, for example, to connect a plurality ofcages for small mammals and allow them to move from one cage to anotheras required or just for amusement.

[0004] Currently commercially available tubes, however, aresubstantially closed and do not allow optimum ventilation of the pathfollowed by the small mammals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The aim of the present invention is to solve or substantiallyreduce the ventilation problems of conventional crawling tubes for smallmammals.

[0006] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to providetubes whose structure allows ventilation inside the path followed by thesmall mammals.

[0007] Another object is to provide tubes which are inexpensive and havea simple structure.

[0008] This aim and these and other objects which will become betterapparent hereinafter are achieved by a crawling tube for small mammals,characterized in that it comprises a plurality of circumferentialslotted holes which are arranged side by side on at least one row alonga longitudinal extension of the tube so as to provide ventilationgrilles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention willbecome better apparent from the description of a preferred but notexclusive embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitativeexample in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a straight tube portion and of acurved tube portion according to the invention, shown in the assembledcondition;

[0011]FIGS. 2 and 3 are two sectional views, taken respectively along alongitudinal plane and along a transverse plane, of the assembly shownin FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] With reference to the figures, a tube according to the inventionis generally designated by the reference numeral 10.

[0013] The tube 10 is of the straight or curved corrugated type,designated by the reference numerals 10 a and 10 b respectively,obtained by interlocking or gluing two shells 11 made of plastics whichare obtained by molding.

[0014] Each shell 11 has, adjacent to a longitudinal edge 12 thereof,which can be a substantially straight edge or the longer curved edge, aplurality of circumferential slotted holes 13 arranged side by side inrows along the longitudinal extension of tube 10, so as to defineventilation grilles.

[0015] The end portions 14 of each tube 10 are provided with a radiallyarranged peripheral rim 15 which allows, by using an annular coupling16, to connect multiple contiguous tubes 10.

[0016] In fact, the annular coupling 16 is internally provided with twocircumferential slots 17 which constitute seats for accommodating, as aconsequence of elastic deformation, the rims 15 of two tubes 10 to bearranged mutually contiguous.

[0017] In practice it has been observed that the present invention hasachieved the intended aim and objects.

[0018] In particular, it can be seen that the grilles provided by theslotted holes allow optimum ventilation of the inside of the tube,improving the comfort of the animals, which is a very important aspect.

[0019] All the details may be replaced with other technically equivalentelements.

[0020] The materials, so long as they are compatible with the contingentuse, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements.

[0021] The disclosures in Italian Utility Model Application No.PD2000U000038 from which this application claims priority areincorporated herein by reference.

What is claimed is:
 1. A crawling tube for small mammals, comprising aplurality of circumferential slotted holes which are arranged side byside on at least one row along a longitudinal extension of the tube soas to provide ventilation grilles.
 2. The tube according to claim 1 ,wherein it is straight and is obtained by joining two corrugated shellshaving said at least one row of slotted holes adjacent to longitudinaledges thereof.
 3. The tube according to claim 1 , wherein it is curvedand is obtained by joining two corrugated shells having, adjacent to alonger edge thereof, said at least one row of slotted holes.
 4. The tubeaccording to claim 2 , wherein said shells are obtained by moldingplastic material.